The green weight of southern pine tree-length roundwood delivered to the pulp mill is generally known. However, for optimum mill efficiency it is desirable to know dry weight. The moisture content of tree-length pine logs is quite variable. The moisture content of pine tree-length logs increases significantly with increasing stem height. Moisture content also varies with tree age and geographic location. It is envisioned that a truckload of tree-length logs would be bored at the scales to extract chips for moisture content determination for converting green truckload weight to oven dry weight. This paper evaluates the predictability of estimating tree-length log moisture content from samples taken a various points along the length of the log. The variability of moisture content related to log diameter, tree age, and geographic location is discussed. Equations for estimating weighted average moisture content of treelength logs from moisture content of samples taken at one, two or three locations along the log are presented for planted loblolly pine. The results of this research indicate that the moisture content of a truckload of tree-length logs can be accurately estimated by sampling three logs in a load at 4.7-meters for converting green truckload weight to bone dry tons.


A model of a 10 kW BLDC motor controller is reconstructed by utilizing PSIM software. This design process starts by identification of the controller characteristics. The identifications includes the work mechanisms, capability work rating and other significant factors that must be considered in utilizing BLDC motor controller as electric vehicle drive. In this controller, there are some modes identified and modeled: torque controlled, speed controlled, regenerative braking, cruise mode, and forward/reverse rotation selection. Through the simulations and analyses, the modeled circuit is tested so it can represent the features of the controller.


In the article the results of studies of the hydrocarbon composition of oils extracted from contaminated soils of Kyzylorda region oil fields. The study was conducted to assess the level of contamination of petroleum hydrocarbons and definitions of different approaches to their recovery, given the nature of use. By gravimetric method are defined oil content in the contaminated soil, which constitutes for soil of Kumkol and Taur oil fields, respectively – 66866,60 mg/kg and 26296,66 mg / kg. Studied the hydrocarbon composition of oil in soil samples using gas chromatography-mass spectrometer «Agilent» 7890A / 5975S. According to the results of the chromatographic analysis found that the oil extracted from the contaminated soil of Kumkol field contains 80, 10% alkanes, 6.10% naphthenes and 5.90% arenes. Oil extracted from the contaminated soil of Taur field contains 85,39% alkanes, 6.70% naphthenes and 0.59% arenes. Also in the oils extracted from the contaminated soil of Kumkol and Taur fields contains oxygen-, sulfur-, halogen containing derivatives of hydrocarbons at a ratio of 7,90 and 7,32, respectively.


In the realm of practical surgery the onlydirect operative attacks that may be made on the central circulatory system are for the relief of cardiac compression, acute or chronic. This comprises the removal of intrapericardial fluid, the prevention of its reaccumulation (including the suture of wounds of the heart), and the resection of constricting scar. The extraction of pulmonary emboli, the direct attack on valvular lesions and attempts to increase the blood supply of the heart are still within the domain of experimental surgery. A syndrome which has increasingly engaged the attention of clinicians, especially during the past fifteen years, is that caused by a lesion variously designated as adhesive pericarditis, Pick's disease, mediastinopericarditis, concretio pericardii, pericarditic pseudocirrhosis and a host of other terms descriptive of its pathologic anatomy. Volhard, 1 Schmieden, 2 White, 3 Churchill 4 and others 5 have contributed important studies during the last ten years, but


This paper explores some of the lessons of the coordinated care trials in Australia in the context of managed care in America and asks how do we best manage our finite health care dollars for the most equitable and effective outcomes for whole populations? The COAG trial in Australia tested a more structured process for managing the care of patients with chronic illness and postulated that currently fragmented health system funding could be pooled around individual patient need, and managed for improved economic outcomes and patient wellbeing. There is little doubt, following this initiative and much work in other countries, that as health care costs rise, for a range of reasons, improvements are needed in the management of our resources if we are to control rising health care costs. We also know that chronic illness, much of which is preventable and avoidable, is the major component in the rising health care cost equation and a factor likely to consume around 75% of our health dollars in the future. Much chronic illness can be prevented through social and population health strategies and we know that even if chronic illness can?t be prevented, it can be managed better through community-based chronic illness management programs. These programs rely on information, education, patient lifestyle and behaviour change, and on patients developing improved self-management skills. But, what is the best way to manage population health in Australia and ensure equity and fairness in the health care market as we evolve new approaches, especially to the management of chronic illness?


A popular application of social data mining is sentiment detection or opinion analysis of consumer products or social events. In this work, a proposal for automatic summarization of a set of online review data on a particular consumer product is outlined so that the overall quality of the product can be assessed without going through all the reviews manually one by one. In this approach the most discussed aspects of the products will be highlighted in a constructed manner.


Whether one uses a solar system barycentric frame or a geocentric frame when including the general theory of relativity in orbit determination for near-earth satellites, the results should be equivalent to some limiting accuracy. The purpose of this paper is to clarify the effects of relativity in each frame and to demonstrate their equivalence through the analysis of three years of laser tracking data taken on the Lageos satellite. It is demonstrated that the simpler formulation in the geocentric frame is adequate for the purpose of near-earth satellite orbit determination. A correction to the conventional barycentric equations of motion is shown to be required.


Constructivists argue that learning is not simply a process of transforming knowledge from the outside to the inner part of learners,but constructing knowledge and experience actively.Accordingly,different kinds of instructing methods such as Cooperative Learning,Cognitive Apprenticeship, Random Access Instruction,Reciprocal Teaching,Situated Learning,Problembased Learning and so on come to the stage of educational reform.Such ideas enlighten a hopeful prospect for educational reform.


With globalization, there have been significant changes in the factors that provide competitive advantages while the competition conditions of businesses have changed


Information (EDID data) that indicates a reception specification of a connected receiving-side device (13) is acquired from the receiving-side device (13), and signals including images or voices of a form that corresponds to the acquired reception specification are searched and obtained from either one of a mounted information recording medium (12) and a data server (15) on a network (14), and then, the acquired signals are subjected to predetermined signal processing to be outputted to the receiving-side device (13).


By counting several thousand scattered protons at each angle and voltage with a linear amplifier, the numbers of protons scattered or projected by recoil through angles from 15' to 45' from a carefully defined mono-energetic proton beam in passing through 2 mm path length of pure hydrogen gas at a pressure of 12 mm have been measured for proton beam energies of 600, 700, 800, and 900 kv. The angular resolution for the slit systems was about 2'. The high voltage was constant to within one percent and was measured directly to about two percent with a specially calibrated 10,000-megohm corona free voltmeter resistor. The spread in energy of the primary protons did not exceed one percent. At 600 kv the observed numbers at all angles are roughly two-thirds of the values predicted by Mott's formula. The curves for this observed "Mott ratio" versus angle change progressively as the voltage is increased and at 900 kv the observations show twothirds of the Mott: value at 15, 1.4 times Mott; at 30', anal 4.0 times Mott at 45'. Measurements of the scattering of protons by deuterium, helium, and air, together with "vacuum-scattering" tests which eliminate slit scattering and unknown vapors, have led to the conclusion that the observed anomaly is not due to a contamination and must be ascribed to a proton-proton interaction at close distances {less than 5 &&10 "cm) which involves a marked departure from the ordinary Coulomb forces. The observed curves lead quantitatively to a simple theoretical interpretation on the basis of wave mechanics, as shown in the accompanying paper by Breit, Condon and Present. A new scattering apparatus is under construction to eliminate possible small errors in the angular measurements and to permit observations {with Geiger point-counters) at lower voltages.


Five different policy questions are raised for Australian welfare planners in ageing based on observations of an American policy analyst. The questions reflect recent trends and directions in public policy both in the United States and Australia. Through these questions and through discussion, the author identifies concepts that may lead to programs which are more effective and responsive to the diversity of elders in these two nations.


The reaction of 2-chloro-3-(2-chloroethyl)-tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorin-2-oxide 1 and 2-chloro-tetrahydro-2H-1,3,2-oxazaphosphorin-2-oxide 2 with 2-(trimethylsilyloxy)ethylamine 3 and bis-[2-(trimethylsiloxy)ethyl]amine 4, respectively, yielded the trimethylsilylated compounds 5 and 6, analogous to ifosfamide and cyclophosphamide. The reaction of 5 and 6 with 2-chloro-1,3,5-trimethyl-1,3,5-triaza-2-phosphorin-4,6-dione 7 led to the diphosphorus compounds 8 and 9 which could be transformed to ifosfamide 11 and cyclophosphamide 12 by treatment with sulfuryl chloride. This synthesis shows that the alkylating agents 2- chloroethylammonium chloride and bis-(2-chloroethyl)ammonium chloride can be avoided and the chlorine atom can be introduced in the final reaction step of the synthesis of 11 and 12.


This work took place in two public schools located in the city of Girua, RS. Teachers and students from both the elementary school and high school participated actively in the process of studying the Santo Cristo River. Groups of teachers and teachers' assistants were selected to help devising a series of activities such as: theoretical classes on watersheds, applying protocols on characterizing watersheds, gath- ering and analyzing the quality of water from the river, writing educational guides, and presenting the ongoing work in local and regional seminars. The students also answered a questionnaire to check their knowledge before and after the activities developed. Students' participation revealed the importance of this learning process and knowledge systematization in the corresponding presentations to the communi- ty. Hence, it is really important to consolidate groups of teachers and teachers' assistants to improving knowledge generation of local environment and community participation in the environmental issues.


In the last twenty years human enhancement has become one of the major themes in applied ethics. In this contribution I discuss a specific form of enhancement, the ethical one, in particular the empathy enhancement, understood as one of the possible motivations of morally oriented actions. I propose some arguments to sustain that the educational processes are preferable to biochemical enhancement practices. Finally, I focus on some suggestions that can inspire educational practices, in order to cultivate the multiple and complex dimensions that underlie the concept of empathy.


The extension of C method, combined with idea of Tikhonov's regularization is proposed. The regularizing algorithm for numerical solution of electromagnetic wave diffraction by the boundary of dielectric media is developed. This algorithm is based on the solution of the system linear algebraic equations of C method as subject of regularizing method of A. N. Tikhonov. The numerical calculations of scattered field in the case of E-polarization are presented. The efficiency and reliability of the method for the solution of the problems of boundary shape reconstruction have been proved and demonstrated numerically for several situations.


This thesis investigates the possible short-run economic gains from implementing a different system of road pricing in Oslo, Norway. Oslo is the largest city in Norway, with a population of 450, 000 inhabitants. First, the existing cordon toll ring that forces all inbound traffic to pay a flat toll to enter the central business district 24 hours a day is described. Second, the literature on optimal road pricing is investigated. Third, the flat tariff toll system is compared to two differentiated pricing systems that better reflect the costs imposed by drivers on society. When the loss of surplus and gains because of time savings for the pricing systems are compared with revenues collected, it is possible to conclude that more differentiated pricing increase economic welfare. More differentiated prices are also closer to the theoretical solution for optimal road pricing.


Mini Spy robot is the robot that has ability to spy and to survey the environment or situation at certain place using wireless camera. The visual gathering from the spy robot can be viewed by human directly. The small mini camera was used to transmit video wirelessly to PC for post analysis of the video. The robot also can be controlled wirelessly using application Personal Computer or Laptop. It is also equipped with some sensors to avoid dangerous route. The robot is powered by PIC microcontroller and Mini C-100B for camera processing in the microcontroller and application. The goal of this project is to construct a mini robot which would help to monitor all the thing through a camera and develop the movement of the robot via wirelessly control using application in computer using Bluetooth transmission. There have several processes to construct the robot which simulation, fabrication, testing and programming and it divide by two parts that is Hardware and Software. The movement of the robot controlled using windows application using visual basic. The Robot only move forward, backward or turn left and right if the windows application controller on computer transmit the signal through to the receiver of the robot and my project upgraded with Infrared Detector (IRD) sensor which used to detect obstacle in front and behind of it. When something block in front of it, the robot automatically move away to the other side without collide.


Grading: The course grade will consist of three midterm exams, weekly homework assignments, in-class quizzes, and a final exam. Each of the midterms will be worth 20%, the final worth 20%, the total homework score worth 15%, and the quizzes worth 5% of your final grade. Final grades will be determined from averages using the standard ten-point scale. The tentative schedule for the exams will be


ABSTRACT Australians have become increasingly familiar with China in the decades since the Whitlam government (1972–1975) formally recognised the People's Republic of China. The government instructed its first Ambassador that Australia wanted "friendship, cooperation and mutual trust, comparable with that which we have, or seek, with other major powers". This represented a significant shift in the way that China was framed in Australian discourse. However, Australian ambivalence towards China persists. The main argument presented in this article is that the persistence of ambivalence is linked to Australia's transactional economic embrace of China. This embrace is neoliberal orthodoxy, which shapes Australia's understanding by the creation of meaning in the China discourse. Evidence for this proposition is drawn from research in the field of Cognitive Science. The article concludes that this orthodoxy, within which all policy approaches are framed, means that Australian engagement with China broadens but cannot commensurately deepen – leaving ambivalence towards China relatively unchallenged.


We have performed a correlation analysis of radio and optical variations in a large sample of Fermi blazars, of which there are 36 flat spectrum radio quasars and 34 BL Lacertae objects. The discrete cross-correlation function (DCF) method has been employed to investigate the correlation and the possible time lag. A clear correlation has been found in 55 sources (78.6% of the sample sources). It is confirmed that the variations in optical bands lead those in radio bands by several days to several hundred days. In four cases, optical flares are found to occur simultaneously with the radio flares. A jet-in-shock model has been used to explain these results. We estimate that the lag between the radio and optical bands may range from 3 days to 2.4 years. The DCF analysis results are consistent with expectations.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the development of age-related cataract in a trial of beta carotene supplementation in men.

DESIGN
Randomized, double-masked, placebo-controlled trial.

METHODS
Male US physicians aged 40 to 84 years (n = 22 071) were randomly assigned to receive either beta carotene (50 mg on alternate days) or placebo for 12 years.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES
Age-related cataract and extraction of age-related cataract, defined as an incident, age-related lens opacity, responsible for a reduction in best-corrected visual acuity to 20/30 or worse, based on self-report confirmed by medical record review.

RESULTS
There was no difference between the beta carotene and placebo groups in the overall incidence of cataract (998 cases vs 1017 cases; relative risk [RR], 1.00; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.91-1.09) or cataract extraction (584 vs 593; RR, 1.00; 95% CI, 0.89-1.12). In subgroup analyses, the effect of beta carotene supplementation appeared to be modified by smoking status at baseline (P =.02). Among current smokers, there were 108 cases of cataract in the beta carotene group and 133 in the placebo group (RR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.57-0.95). Among current nonsmokers, there was no significant difference in the number of cases in the 2 treatment groups (884 vs 881; RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.94-1.13). The results for cataract extraction appeared to be similarly modified by baseline smoking status (P =.05).

CONCLUSIONS
Randomized trial data from a large population of healthy men indicate no overall benefit or harm of 12 years of beta carotene supplementation on cataract or cataract extraction. However, among current smokers at baseline, beta carotene appeared to attenuate their excess risk of cataract by about one fourth.


The benzimidazolone part of the molecule of the title compound, C15H21N3O3, is almost planar (r.m.s. deviation = 0.007 Å) with its mean plane aligned at a dihedral angle of 10.4 (3)° with respect to the mean plane of the nitro substituent. In the crystal, two molecules are disposed about a center of inversion, generating an N—H⋯O hydrogen-bonded cyclic dimer with R 2 2(8) graph-set motif.


Accumulation of pollution over the southern Arabian Sea has been documented in numerous studies that followed the INDOEX field project of 1992. In this paper we show several examples of this feature from the MODIS/CALIPSO data sets. We identify this feature as the Bombay Plume that makes its way into the Arabian Sea from the west coast of India. A second part of this work is on the modeling of the impacts of pollutions. For this purpose we use a NASA Goddard Earth Observing System (GEOS) model to carry out many comparative forecast experiments that include the pollution based on MODIS and control runs that utilize climatological estimates of pollutions. The model includes both the direct and indirect effects of aerosols. We noted that: a) The Arabian Sea experience above normal rain during these periods for the MODIS experiments as compared to the control. b) The most interesting feature in these results is the documentation of a divergent outflow center, in the upper troposphere, over regions of the Arabian Sea pollutions when tropospheric aerosol heating is noted. c) An important related feature is a compensating downward lobe with a divergent inflow center over the Bay of Bengal. d) The presence of this downward lobe over the Bay of Bengal shows a reduction of winter monsoon rains over the south-east coast of India. e) We also show observational evidence of reduced winter monsoon rains over the south-east coast of India during MODIS pollution events from raingauge based estimates.


The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of partial financial distress on the going concern audit opinion, to determine the effect of partial profitability on the going concern audit opinion and to know the moderating ability of profitability on financial distress that affects the going concern audit opinion. This research conducted at manufacturing companies listed on the Stock Exchange in 2015-2017. The research sample was obtained using purposive sampling technique. Data collection is done by non-participant observation methods. Data analysis techniques are carried out using the method of binary logistic regression analysis. The test results show that financial distress has an effect on the going concern audit opinion, profitability has no effect on the audit opinion, and profitability weakens the effect of financial distress on the going concern audit opinion.
Keywords : Financial Distress; Going Concern Audit Opinion; Profitability.


The classification of military vehicle equipment is a straightforward demonstration of the evaluation of its quality.In view of the characteristics of the current military equipment classification,that is,unclear dividing criteria,obscure emphases and poor operability,the paper applies cluster analysis and Fisher discriminant analysis to the grading and classifying of military vehicle equipment.Then through an anlysis of the expert opinions on 21 equipment samples of a certain mode of vehicle,it verifies the effectiveness of the method.


Agricultural extension has a proud international history in contributing to the success of agriculture, farmer incomes, food security, and more recently environmental sustainability. Extension has been changing a great deal in recent years, however, to the point that some have doubted its continuing relevance. Public sector provision has declined greatly, and private sector roles have increased and diversified. In developed countries, there has been discomfort with the term 'extension' being too closely associated with long-discredited transfer-of-technology approaches, but attempts to find substitute terms such as 'innovation' and 'knowledge-brokering' are yet to gain a clear identity. We argue there is a need to reinvigorate, redefine, and ultimately reinvent the conceptualisation and practice of agricultural extension, to meet changing contexts and needs. Opportunities lie in new issues and goals, involving broader sets of people, and reinvigoration of education, while continuing to build the participatory processes that lie at the heart of extension.


Education for a change is an edited collection which seeks to challenge our thinking about education by looking at what life in the twenty-first century demands of us and then drawing on writers with differing perspectives to stimulate thinking as to how those demands might be achieved. The authors come from a wide range of backgrounds and bring their rich variety of perspectives to bear on what are identified as the 'critical' issues shaping education today. So, we have writers from the field of education such as Local Education Authorities (LEA) representatives, teachers, head teachers, university researchers, and a student alongside some writers who are more usually associated with areas outside of education: Anita Roddick, Jonathan Sacks and Jonathon Porritt. Questions and challenges come fast and furiously throughout the book and although there are too many to list here, some examples include how learner-centred teachers can release an individual's 'learning energy' (Deakin-Crick, tract 32) and how young people can be placed at the centre of school change (Buckley, tract 36). As well as challenging our ideas about education, the collection challenges our expectations about how such a book might be organized in that it consists of a series of 'tracts' of varying lengths: some as short as a few paragraphs, others a few pages long. The tracts are all designed to address the central question which the editors give as 'how do we teach our children?'. The tracts are grouped into themed sections which cover the following areas: N Education for a change N The case for change N School matters: learning matters N Schools of the future N Tomorrow's educators N Engaging young people N A manifesto of learning for change


A wideband Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) bifilar helix antenna for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) applications is presented here. The antenna is designed to fit inside the vertical stabilizer of the Dakota UAV. The antenna is fabricated using a novel direct write thermal spray technology. A feeding network insert is designed incorporating a hybrid providing a balanced 200- Ω output to the antenna.


Dr. Kuo Li-ying's study deals with a complex of beliefs and ritual practices that have come to play an extremely important role in Chinese Buddhism: the confession of sins and transgressions, both collective and individual, as a means to effect moral purity, to remove mental obstacles and to obtain positive karmic retribution. Confession et contrition shows some important lacunas: more attention should have been paid to the non-Buddhist Chinese cultural context; essential typological differences between certain kinds of ritual have sometimes been blurred, and hardly any use has been made of the essential documents preserved in the Guang hongming ji . Another point of criticism concerns the methodology and the way of presentation, which are almost purely philological: the very complicated subject is treated on the basis of individual texts, each of which is described and analyzed. Keywords: Chinese Buddhism; Confession et contrition ; Guang hongming ji ; karmic retribution; Kuo Li-ying


Reformers want history education to help students learn to engage in historical inquiry, read critically across conflicting sources, and engage in civil discussion of controversial issues. How can we help teachers and students shift the roles, norms, and activity in history classrooms to achieve these aims? An activity-theoretical framework suggests the value of explicitly attending to multiple aspects of human activity when designing and presenting reform-oriented pedagogies or curricula. Such attention increases the odds that teachers who implement new approaches or curriculum will achieve significant shifts in the means and ends of history education.


To produce quartz oscillator plates thinner than 0.005 inch, it has been necessary to modify the usual lapping methods and machinery. The thickness at which the crystal carrier (nest) stretches or buckles is the limiting factor in the conventional apparatus. The modifications described in this report consist of replacements for the conventional top lapping plate with corresponding cha~ges in the crystal carrier. T he development is presented in chronological order from the simple pressure block method to the more elaborate form s lIsing automatic truing. The improved equipment is capable of producing O.OOl-inchthick quar tz crystals and can be used for producing equa lly thin wafers from a variety of other materials.


The excited states in the light neutron-rich nucleus 11 Be have been studied through the β -delayed neutron- and γ -decays from spin-polarized 11 Li g.s. . The level scheme and decay scheme of 11 Be ∗ are established from the β – γ , β –n and β –n– γ coincidences, and the spins and parities for 7 levels in 11 Be are firmly assigned from the β -decay asymmetries measured in coincidence with the delayed radiations. The neutron-spectroscopic factors of the levels in 11 Be are also determined. Some of the levels show good accord with predictions by the anti-symmetrized molecular dynamics (AMD) theory, which predicts various types of 2 α -cluster states in the rotational bands and a single α -cluster state.


A case of endometrial adenocarcinoma in a patient with Turner's syndrome who had received long term combined oestrogen‐progestogen therapy is described.


Appropriately, ceremonies marking the beginning and end of construction on the North Carolina Railroad took place in Greensboro or its environs. The Guilford County seat was positioned near the midpoint of the 223-mile arch that the road followed across the state from Charlotte to Goldsboro. The early annual meetings of the stockholders were held in the Gate City. And, most importantly, Greensboro was the home of John Motley Morehead, former governor (1841–1845) and "in large measure the road's founding father," according to railroad historian Allen W. Trelease.


The invention relates to a sintered product with silver color. The sintered product with silver color contains at least titanium, carbon and boron as components, and has excellent corrosion resistance, resistance flexural strength of at least 700 MPa, a Vickers hardness at least 9.0 GPa and a fracture toughness of at least 5.0 MPa · m ** 1/2, and it comprises in its composition a metal boride phase represented by (Tia Mb) Bc and a metal carbide phase represented by (Tix Ny) Cz, where M and N each denote at least one element selected from Groups 4a, 5a and 6a of the Periodic Table, with the exclusion of Ti, and 0.8 = Application including ornamental items.


This paper explores the role of
population in empirical studies. While panel estimation should control for
differences across countries as more populated countries should pollute more, more
pollution may not lead to more pollution per capita. Two models are estimated
each of which control for population in different ways. One model accounts for
population by expressing BOD in per capita terms and the second model regresses
BOD on population using the residual in the EKC regression. The Akaike
Information Criterion (AIC) reveals the second model is preferred to the first
model. In addition, although both models reveal an EKC, the turning points are
vastly different. Future EKC studies can benefit by testing EKC models that
control for population in different ways.


It has been reported that some kind of virus infection may participate in causing type 1 diabetes mellitus (insulin-dependent). However, no detailed clarification of the pathogenesis of this virus induced diabetes mellitus has been made. Craighead and McLanel1 described that the mice which was infected with M variant of encephalomyocarditis (EMC) virus may develop diabetes mellitus-like changes which were associated with insulitis and degranulation or destruction of 8 cells of the islets of the pancreas . Virus-induced diabetes mellitus in experimental animals attracts much attention from


The Eighth Cyclone Workshop was held at the Far Hills Inn and Conference Center in Val Morin, Quebec, Canada, 12–16 October 1992. The workshop was arranged around several scientific themes of current research interest. The most widely debated theme was the applicability of "potential vorticity thinking" to theoretical, observational, and numerical studies of the life cycle of cyclones and the interaction of these cyclones with their environment on all spatial and temporal scales. A combination of invited and contributed talks, with preference given to younger scientists, made up the workshop.


The newly proposed method [M. Musia l, J. Chem. Phys., 136, 134111 (2012)] based on the multireference coupled cluster (CC) theory formulated in the (2,0) sector of the Fock space (FS) (essential in the double electron affinity (DEA) calculation) is applied to the alkali metal diatomics to generate smooth potential energy curves which correctly describe the dissociation process of the studied molecules. To avoid intruder state problems the method is realized within the framework of the intermediate Hamiltonian which provides efficient sizeextensive computational scheme. The DEA strategy makes it possible to describe electronic states of the neutral molecule, e.g. potassium dimer K2, by adopting as a reference its doubly ionized cation K 2 . The FS-CC(2,0) scheme offers an attractive first principle method without any model or effective potential parameters for the description of the bond breaking processes.


The freshman engineering discovery courses currently running at Marquette University – Opus College of Engineering offer engineering design challenge activities for new engineering students to experience the engineering design process and to simultaneously practice an entrepreneurial mindset. A six-week long design challenge activity is scheduled for a group of student teams (seven to nine students per team) to conceptually design disruptive products for the underprivileged. After introducing samples of existing products and/or services related to the disruptive technologies to the students, they practice to identify additional existing disruptive products/services in our society or market, and continue to conceptually design the future (potential) various disruptive products or processes related to the given theme of the project through the disruptive technology design challenge activity. At its core, disruptive technologies are strongly linked to the entrepreneurial mindset defined by the 3C's of Curiosity, Connections and Creating value. Index Terms – disruptive technologies, engineering design challenge, entrepreneurial mindset, freshman engineering students


low-cost, [ 4–6 ] large-area electrical devices [ 7 , 8 ] and low-voltage driving circuits of soft displays. [ 9–11 ] Currently, the low mobility of OTFTs is the main challenge for the industrial application of organic devices. [ 12–14 ] The fi ndings from a large number of researchers so far suggest that the charge carrier transport of OTFTs is extremely dependent on the semiconductor morphology, especially the fi rst several molecular layers near the dielectric surface. [ 15 , 16 ] Therefore, convenient techniques that could optimize the morphology of semiconductors next to the semiconductor/dielectric interface are crucial for the fabrication of high-mobility OTFTs, which can rival conventional inorganic TFTs. [ 17–19 ] From the literature [ 20 ] it is known that single-crystal pentacene transistors with high mobility values can be obtained using pentacenequinone, which represents the most abundant impurity in the crystal as the dielectric layer. However, this method is of limited interest for the fabrication of OTFTs. To date, the modifi cation of the dielectric surface has gained considerable industrial and academic interests because of their potential to enhance the performances of OTFTs. [ 21,22 ] Lately, Bao and coworkers have gained high-mobility OTFTs by modifying the dielectric surfaces with high quality self-assembled monolayers (SAMs). [ 23 , 24 ] The high thin-fi lm mobility of pentacene, up to 3 cm 2 /Vs, [ 24 ] is due to the morphology optimization induced by the ultra fl at SAMs layer that has been modifi ed on the SiO 2 dielectric. Analogously, Schwartz and coworkers have also gained high-mobility OTFTs by modifying the SiO 2 dielectric with organiphosphonate SAMs recently (the average mobility of a pentacene FET is about 2.5 cm 2 /Vs). [ 25 ]


Objeotive To investigate the variation and significance of plasma type B natriuretic peptide (BNP) before and after cardiac surgery.Methods There were altogether 100 cases, of which 40 were patients with coronary heart disease who received intracorporeal coronary artery bypass surgery and 60 were patients with rheumatic heart disease who received extracorporeal cardiac valve replacement surgery.BNP levels were tested immediately before and after surgery,24 hours,4 days,8 days and 30 days after operation respectively. Ultrasonography was performed to test LVEF.Results Plasma BNP levels of patients with coronary heart disease and rheumatic heart disease were significantly higher than that of the normal group (P<0.01),the levels of BNP tested immediately after operation were similar to that before operation,the plasma levels of BNP elevated obviously and reached peak at hour 24,then dropped gradually with recovery of the disease.Plasma BNP did not come back to the level before operation.BNP level 30 days after surgery wsa obviously lower than that before surgery,with statistical significance (P<0.01),however,it was still higher than that of the control group. Similar changes could be seen in variations of plasma BNP in intracorporeal coronary artery bypass surgery and extracorporeal cardiac valve replacement surgery.BNP did not increase during extracorporeal circulation.BNP levels were significantly different in different levels of NYHA.Results showed that BNP levels were positively correlated with NYHA(r=0.455,P<0.01),while they were negatively correlated with LVEF (r=-0.122,P<0.01).Conclusions Similar changes were seen in variations of plasma BNP in intracorporeal coronary artery bypass surgery and extracorporeal cardiac valve replacement surgery.BNP did not increase further during extracorporeal circulation having appropriate correlation with the classification of NYHA and LVEF.The cardiac function of patients could revealed sensitively and specifically.

Key words:
B type natriuretic peptide; Cardio surgery; Extracorpereal circulation; Inxtracorpereal circulation


Thank you for downloading working in the reggio way a beginners guide for american teachers. Maybe you have knowledge that, people have search numerous times for their chosen books like this working in the reggio way a beginners guide for american teachers, but end up in infectious downloads. Rather than reading a good book with a cup of coffee in the afternoon, instead they cope with some infectious bugs inside their computer.


Motorists are advised that several roads in and near Clitheroe will close on Tuesday, 27 December, for the 2016 Ribble Valley 10k Road Race.


. Aloe, an important folk herbal drug, includes abundant polysaccharides and secondary metabolites which bringing about the difficulty of isolating high-quality DNA or RNA. In this paper, one and two improved methods were used to isolate the genomic DNA and RNA from the leaf of Aloe, respectively. The obtained samples presented good quality and integrality, and thus, they could be further used for many downstream molecular experiments. This reported protocols on extraction of DNA and RNA offered a valuable reference for other related studies.


Salivary fistula is an uncommon parotid surgery complication. We report a case of prolonged postoperative salivary fistula. Minocycline injection effectively prevented severe complications in refractory salivary fistula. Minocycline has been used in sclerotherapy for chylous fistula following neck dissection, thyroid cyst, parathyroid cyst, etc, and found to be useful in preventing prolonged complications.


Probability density functions, mean crossing rates, and other descriptors are developed for the quasi-static and dynamic responses of offshore platforms to wave forces. It is assumed that offshore platforms can be modelled by simple oscillators, the wave particle velocity is a stationary differentiable Gaussian process, Morison's equation can be applied, and wave forces are perfectly correlated spatially. Results show that both the quasi-static response and the dynamic response of offshore platforms to wave forces are generally underestimated if the drag force is linearized. Estimates are developed for probabilistic characteristics of these responses based on the crossing theory of random processes and time-discretization of the wave force process. Simulation studies indicate that these estimates are satisfactory.


Fungal keratitis is an important ophthalmic problem in the developing world. Filamentous fungi are the most frequently reported pathogens in fungal keratitis. This report aimed to present a case with Lecythophora mutabilis keratitis that treatment failure was seen with topical and systemic amphotericin B lipid complex. Then she was treated successfully topical voriconazole. J Microbiol Infect Dis 2011;1 (2): 75-77


Abstract : It is proposed that syntactical information be used to aid in the post-information-theoretic decoding of formal languages that have been transmitted through a noisy channel. A model for an information source producing a continuous stream of grammatical sentences is exhibited. General desirable properties of syntactical decoders are proposed, and a general minimum-distance decoding algorithm established. Backtracking 5-grammars are defined, and used to exemplify backtracking algorithms for attempted correction of single and multiple errors. (Author)


First-principles calculations of multi-hadron dynamics are a crucial goal in lattice QCD. Significant progress has been achieved in developing, implementing, and applying theoretical tools that connect finite-volume quantities to their infinite-volume counterparts. Here, I review some recent theoretical developments and numerical results regarding multi-particle quantities in a finite volume. These results include $N\pi$ scattering, systems of two and three mesons at maximal isospin, three-body resonances in a toy model, and the formulation of effective theories in finite volume for multi-nucleon systems.


Concurrent orbit and attitude determination (COAD) plays a key role in reducing the cost of navigation and control subsystem for small satellites. This article is devoted to the problem of the COAD of satellites. A measurement package consisting of three axis magnetometer (TAM) and a sun sensor is shown to be sufficient to estimate the attitude and orbit information. To this end, an autonomous gyro-less COAD algorithm is proposed and implemented through the centralized data fusion of the TAM and the sun sensor. The set of nonlinear-coupled roto-translation dynamics of the satellite is used with a modified unscented Kalman filter (MUKF) to estimate the full satellite states. The MUKF is specially proposed to substantially cut the run time by minimizing the number of required sigma points. The results indicate that the adopted strategy fulfills the essential requirements of accuracy and the speed of state estimation. Local observability is demonstrated and an extensive Monte Carlo simulation has shown desirable stability characteristics for the proposed algorithm. Additionally, a sensitivity analysis on the orbital elements and sensor characteristics is performed to verify the feasibility and utility of the MUKF over a wider acceptable range of sensory and operating environments.


Books on Deleuze and literature tend to fall into one of two camps: exegetical works on his own contributions to literary theory or applications of Deleuzian concepts to individual authors or groups of authors. Works such as these are important and necessary, but if we are ever going to be able to practice a Deleuzian literary criticism it behooves us to move beyond exegesis and application towards a consideration of poetics and form. Deleuze (alone and in collaboration with Guattari) has furnished critical theory with a potent set of images—the nomad, the rhizome, the schizo versus the paranoiac, the body without organs, to name only the most well known. Ironically, however, it has been the very poetry of these concepts that has hindered the development of a Deleuzian criticism of the analytical scope of Derridean deconstruction or Foucauldian discourse analysis. Whether a Deleuzian critical practice is tenable will depend on our ability to resist the coruscating conceptual surfaces of Deleuze's writings on such authors as Artaud, Kafka, Beckett, Proust, and Melville in order to unearth their analytical foundations. Helen Palmer's book attempts just this and is thus a very welcome addition to Deleuze studies. Her volume, subtitled 'A Manifesto for Nonsense,' is not really a manifesto at all but a fascinating effort to unearth a Deleuzian formalism through a reading of Deleuze's (mainly sole authored) philosophical works in the light of Russian and Italian literary futurism specifi cally and the early twentieth century avant-garde more generally. Palmer considers futurism, with its emphasis on speed and movement, to be emblematic of the avant-garde's obsession with the new. The manifesto is the formal manifestation of immediacy, of the 'now' of the fl ashing present. But the present eludes our grasp, and fate of the manifesto is to suffer a historicization as soon it appears. Its manifestation is its exhaustion, and this is precisely the tragedy of the avant-garde:


The present invention relates to an apparatus for protecting an air line of a circuit breaker for a substation and a power plant below 765kV. The apparatus for protecting the air line of the circuit breaker for the substrate and the power plant below 765kV according to the present invention includes: a compressor which compresses air; a compressed air tank which stores the compressed air; an air operating unit which includes a main valve, an operation cylinder, and a piston; first and second fixing blocks (10,20); three protection rods (30); and a length control rod (40).


Action NP's 26 24 2 Expletive NP's 41 36 5 Controls 41 38 3 TABLE 7. Frequency of correct and incorrect responses by sentence type. Returning to the results of the pretest, the first observation is that only sentences with is evoked Type I errors. However, sentences with should evoked more errors than those with either is or can: four children failed to produce an utterance with should on either opportunity. This is further evidence of the kind of piecemeal learning of AUX's noted previously in children's spontaneous productions (Kuczaj & Maratsos 1983). The implications of stepwise acquisition for linguistic theory are discussed below. Note that these child subjects did not omit should from their utterances for SEMANTIC reasons. As the observed utterances below show, five of the children who failed to use should were cognizant of its meaning, but chose to recast it in other terms: (30) a. Is that boy should have an umbrella? b. Is that boy supposed to have an umbrella? c. Does that boy have to have an umbrella? d. Does that boy need an umbrella? e. Is that boy need an umbrella? We can only speculate on the reasons for this restructuring. Perhaps the word should is not recognized as an AUX in these children's grammars because it shares semantic properties with main verbs like have (in have to have) and need. If so, these properties may inhibit the correct syntactic generalization that should is an AUX. Alternatively, should might be assigned to this category AFTER is and can, perhaps because it appears with less frequency in yes/no questions, on the supposition that frequency is a determinant in children's grammar induction procedures. In any event, it is encouraging, from a methodological point of view, to note that children did not opt for a yes/no question transformation for this word by analogy; i.e., this task does not seem to evoke errors which are not also observed in children's spontaneous speech. 540 This content downloaded from 184.108.40.206 on Sat, 22 Oct 2016 05:19:54 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms STRUCTURE DEPENDENCE IN GRAMMAR FORMATION To summarize, children in this study were impervious to the semantic features of the NP's which served as context terms in their yes/no question transformations. Expletives, abstract/action NP's, and referential NP's have all been syntactically integrated into the grammars of these young children, which appear to function autonomously. Stemmer's hypothesis is thereby disconfirmed, at least for children in this age range. As predicted by developmental autonomy, even the youngest child uniformly deployed a structure-dependent rule in all the critical cases, rather than one based on a semantic association with syntax. There was no evidence of discontinuous development, as suggested by semantic bootstrapping. We did, however, observe evidence of the stepwise acquisition of auxiliary verbs in yes/no questions. This turns out to be disconcerting for one current proposal about the acquisition of syntax, as we now show. Our final topic is the empirical import of these findings for a parameter-setting model of language acquisition. In particular, we focus on the Null Subject parameter, which has received considerable attention lately both in linguistic theory and in acquisition research. Parameter-setting models of acquisition have been offered as partial explanations of the fact that clusters of syntactic properties vary systematically across languages. One property that varies is the presence/absence of a null element in the subject position of tensed clauses. English does not allow superficially empty subjects (which aren't bound by an operator), but Italian and Spanish do. Other properties covary with this one, including the presence or absence of expletive pronouns and subject/Aux inversion. A parameter-setting model of acquisition relates a theory of markedness to facts about the acquisition of properties that covary across languages. Each parameter is a putatively universal syntactic principle with some unmarked value which can be abandoned by the child in response to simple positive evidence, in favor of some specific new value from a finite set. In the limiting case, choosing a more marked value for a parameter is like setting a switch which, in turn, sets other switches. Parameter-setting may therefore have immediate repercussions throughout the child's grammatical system. There are a number of proposals concerning the Null Subject parameter. The one of concern here, proposed by Hyams 1986, is noteworthy in both its empirical and theoretical content (see also Rizzi 1982). Hyams takes null subjects to be the unmarked value; and she predicts restructuring for languages like English, to ensure the presence of overt subjects in tensed clauses. According to Hyams, restructuring occurs when children encounter sentences with overt expletives, as in Experiment 3. She asserts that productive use of expletives will be closely followed by the emergence of modals, which may then undergo subject/Aux inversion. Hyams anticipates then that expletives, modals, and interrogatives with modals should all emerge at about the same time in the acquisition of Overt Subject languages.14 The results of Experiment 3 do not 14 In support of her position, Hyams discusses evidence from a number of longitudinal studies of the spontaneous productions of young children. It is worthwhile to contrast our experimental paradigm with the procedures of longitudinal studies. The latter are uniquely suited to investigate 541 This content downloaded from 18.104.22.168 on Sat, 22 Oct 2016 05:19:54 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms LANGUAGE, VOLUME 63, NUMBER 3 (1987) fit this pattern, since every child produced sentences containing expletives, but several children seem unable to use at least one modal (should) in interrogatives. This kind of stepwise acquisition is discussed in Hamburger & Crain 1982; in the case of AUX's, it is supported by data from children's spontaneous productions reported by Kuczaj & Maratsos 1983. 8. CONCLUSION. TWO main theoretical conclusions can be drawn from these studies on the acquisition of subject/Aux inversion. Experiment 3 clearly demonstrates that children's hypotheses about this 'transformational phenomenon' are not semantic in nature. Rather, it supports the view that syntax is autonomous from semantics, even at early stages of language development. Moreover, Experiments 1-2 show that children's syntactic hypotheses are tightly constrained. These experiments provide evidence that hypotheses based on serial order are not entertained in children's formation of the rule for subject/ AUX inversion, as dictated by Universal Grammar. A more compelling case can be made for Chomsky's claim that only structure-dependent rules are formulated in language acquisition. Finally, on the methodological side, we have shown that the paradigm of elicited production is a versatile and reliable tool for bridging theoretical and empirical research on the acquisition of syntax.


This study evaluates a hybrid system combining zeolites as a sorption stage and a hollow fiber membrane contactor (HFMC) for ammonia (NH3) recovery from treated urban wastewater. Ion exchange with zeolites was selected as an advanced pretreatment and concentration step before the HFMC. The system was tested with wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluent (mainstream, 50 mg N-NH4/L) and anaerobic digestion centrates (sidestream, 600–800 mg N-NH4/L) from another WWTP. Natural zeolite, primarily clinoptilolite, demonstrated effective desorption of retained ammonium using a 2% NaOH solution in a closed-loop configuration, resulting in an ammonia-rich brine that enabled over 95% NH3 recovery using polypropylene HFMCs. A 1 m3/h demonstration plant processed both urban wastewaters, which were pretreated by ultrafiltration, removing over 90% of suspended solids and 60–65% of COD. The 2% NaOH regeneration brines (2.4–5.6 g N-NH4/L) were treated in a closed-loop HFMC pilot system, producing 10–15% N streams with potential use as liquid fertilizers. The resulting ammonium nitrate was free of heavy metals and organic micropollutants, making it suitable for use as liquid fertilizer. This comprehensive N management solution for urban wastewater applications can contribute to local economies while achieving reduced N discharge and circularity goals.


Late Quaternary facies of the Nile Cone were treated to study their distribution of sediments, their texture, and the heavy mineral contents. The samples used for the study were taken from piston cores obtained by R/V Chain during the 1975 Nile Cone cruise. The available materials represent only the lower ends of the piston cores. The mud, carbonate, and heavy mineral distributions are constructed and interpreted for the Nile Cone and the eastern Mediterranean neighboring physiographic provinces. Moreover, late Quaternary sedimentation of the Nile delta is discussed. The biofacies of the eastern Mediterranean basin studied from 15 thin sections is further investigated.


Our ultimate goal as physicians, particularly as pediatricians, is to help every child get the maximum development of their potential, thus increasing the chances it gets to become a mature, productive and happy adult. This goal is greatly threatened in the neonatal period.


This thesis presents several techniques that enhance the performance of wireless mobile devices that communicate without depending on a supporting infrastructure. These networks are commonly referred to as ad hoc networks since they operate in highly dynamic environments and, therefore, must utilize available resources. The primary focus of this thesis is on improving the performance of ad hoc networks by controlling the transmission power to maximize the spectral reuse (capacity) and minimize energy consumption. This work starts by looking at single-hop ad hoc networks, but then extends this to multihop wireless ad hoc networks to investigate additional energy savings and capacity improvements. It is shown that the capacity of multihop data flows depends heavily on the shaping of the traffic at intermediate hops. Therefore, transport layer enhancements are also defined that adapt how nodes handle the data flows based on local environmental conditions (contention, congestion, and routing overhead). Multiple access-based collision avoidance MAC protocols have typically used fixed transmission power and have not considered power control mechanisms based on the distance of the transmitter and receiver in order to improve spatial channel reuse. This work proposes power control multiple access (PCMA) a wireless MAC protocol within the collision avoidance framework. PCMA generalizes the transmit-ordefer "on/off" collision avoidance model of current protocols to a more flexible "variable bounded power" collision suppression model. The algorithm is provisioned for ad hoc


Fluorination of various chlorinated N-heterocycles with tetrabutylphosphonium hydrogendifluoride (1) or dihydrogentrifluoride (2) readily proceeded in high yields under mild conditions


The paper gives a systemic classification to the common electric vehicle (EV). The technology of low power converter using as auxiliary power supply and high power converter using for traction system has been deeply discussed from the view of topology, control strategy and devices. Finally, the development tendency of on board DC conversion technology is prospected.


The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of hydrophobicity, surface chemistry, and topography on bacterial and microalgal adhesion. To this end, the effects of surface plasma treatments (Argon and Tetrafluorocarbon) of polycarbonate substrates on bioadhesion were investigated in vitro. Surfaces were characterized by goniometry, atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Two marine bacterial strains, a hydrophobic Pseudoalteromonas sp. 5M6 and a hydrophilic Paracoccus sp. 4M6 and two microalgae (Cylindrotheca closterium and Porphyridium purpureum) involved in marine biofouling were selected. Their adhesion on the substrates was observed and quantified using confocal laser scanning microscopy-microfluidic flow-cells. It was demonstrated that the combination of three parameters, namely surface energy, fluorination, and nanotopography, significantly decreases the adhesion of three micro-organisms out of four (Pseudoalteromonas sp. 5M6, Cylindrotheca Closterium, and Porphyridium purpureum) whereas one parameter on its own is insufficient.


Explores the changes in economic practices and structures in the late Muromachi period in Japan by focusing on patterns of patronage and professionalism in the world of poetry.


. Estimating the potential impacts of climate change requires understanding the ability of agents to adapt to changes in their climate. This paper uses panel data from India spanning from 1956 to 1999 to investigate the ability of farmers to adapt. To identify adaptation, the author exploits persistent, multidecadal monsoon regimes during which droughts or floods are more common. These regimes generate medium-run variation in average rainfall, and there is spatial variation in the timing of the regimes. Using a fixed-effects strategy, she tests whether farmers have adapted to the medium- run rainfall variation induced by the monsoon regimes. The author finds evidence that farmers adjust their irrigation investments and their crop portfolios in response to the medium-run rainfall variation. However, adaptation only recovers a small fraction of the profits farmers have lost due to adverse climate variation.


• "There can be no theology without an anthropology, and these anthropological data becomes the subject matter of ethics" (1). • "Whether or not a person conducts himself in accordance with the law can be objectively determined by a third party, a judge or a jury. But the individual alone, who is conscious of his own inner motives, can decide whether he has acted in conformity with morality" (3-4). • "Christian ethos cannot be simply defined as 'response to law,' either human or divine. The normative character of theological ethics must rest upon other foundations" (5). • "The Christian ethos conceives of itself as the divine judgment of the human quality" (7). • An event has ethical significance coram Deo: "It becomes of ethical moment only because it is judged by God" (7). • "The law of God always relates man either to his Creator or to his fellows who share his creatureliness" (18). • "Ethics under the gospel or under grace begins with the recognition that Christ has become the friend of sinners. Thereby he wins power over them, and a renewal of God's creature takes place. While sinfulness under the law is frequently and readily demonstrable, the transformation is always an invisible miracle" (18).


—The recent split of the genus Gallicolumba prompted a reassessment of its synonymy, revealing that Pampusana Bonaparte, 1855, is available to replace both Alopecoenas and subgenus Terricolumba, while Pampusanna Pucheran, 1854, is a synonym of Gallicolumba. We also show that the original publications of their type species should be shifted, from Columba pampusan Quoy & Gaimard, 1824, to Columba Pampusan Gaimard, 1823, in Pampusana and Pampusanna criniger Pucheran, 1853 [= 1854] to Peristera crinigera Reichenbach, 1851, in Pampusanna. The index pages of Reichenbach (1851) are very rare and a copy is reproduced herein, along with two plate variations demonstrating that despite frequent reference to plates and figures in Reichenbach's earlier works, new names there are based on the index pages intended to accompany the plates, and that any captions on plates were handwritten. Additional names also required earlier citations and other errors and oversights are documented, as well as bibliographical corrections and clarifications.


This study is an attempt towards extolling the transhumanist eugenic significance of genetics and genomics, applying the critical tool of philosophy. One of the most remarkable areas contemporary science and technology has made an unprecedented, awesome and stunning progress is the area of bioscience and specifically bio-medical sciences (Genetics and Genomics). Modern scientists are strongly convinced that the human genes (in philosophical terms) are the basic substratum of the human nature, hence, research in human genome holds the master key towards uncloaking the incredible secret of human life, health and disease. The marvelous prospect of this emerging ontological approach in medicine that makes it relishing and fascinating is such that apart from being curative, it is also both preventive and regenerative. Through the aid of expository analytical method, this study reveals that there has been a renewed and increasing interest in bio-medicine, especially in stem cells research and embryology. Consequently, deducing from the findings of this study, this paper argues that, given the credible antecedences of scientific research and predictions, if the recesses of the human genes are penetrated and concealed data retrieved, the future of mankind promises to be relishing in the bosom of biomedicine; because diseases, aging, and most probably death would be overcome by mankind.


Abstract Objective to characterize the life, health, and oral health conditions of homebound older people registered in the primary care teams and oral homecare provided. Method cross-sectional, household based study with a convenience sample, in Florianópolis, southern Brazil. Data collection through a questionnaire and clinical oral examination which included sociodemographic variables, condition of teeth and mucosa, oral hygiene, access to dental care and dentist providing homecare. Absolute and relative frequency analysis and bivariate analysis (chi-square, CI=95%) were performed. Results 123 older people participated with mean age of 81.3 years, 62.6% were women. Living with a caregiver were 87%, 60% were domiciled for up to 5 years, and 89.4% were frail. Regarding the presence of teeth, 56.1% were edentulous and 40.5% had from 1 to 8 teeth. Root remains were observed in 12.8%, untreated caries lesions in 25.2%, visible biofilm in 69.9%, tooth mobility in 57.7% and mucosal lesions in 8.9% of the elders; 45.5% needed help with oral hygiene and 24.4% did not perform daily mouth cleaning. The difficulty in accessing dental care due to homeboundness was reported by 32.5% and home visits provided by the dentist occurred in only 16.3%. Conclusion the oral health of the older adults studied is poor due to the presence of oral problems that require intervention. There is dependence on third parties for oral care, which is not consistently guaranteed at home. The study points to the need for dental homecare provided by public health services.


The external ear is a unique part of the human sensory system. Morphological defects of external ear are important because of the associated syndromes and conditions. 50% of the malformations of the ENT involve the ear. Ear malformations may be genetic (associated with syndromes or spontaneous mutations) or acquired in nature. The present study is undertaken to analyse the morphological features of external ear in normal and in subjects with mental retardation of various origin. The study was conducted in 100 subjects out of the same 50 were normal first year medical students and 50 were students with mental retardation from a school for special children. Parameters selected were the morphological features of external ear like presence or absence of Helix, Tragus, Antitragus, overall shape of the ear, features of lobule etc. 90% of the mentally retarded group showed bilateral differences in morphological features of external ear whereas only 2% of the normal healthy subjects showed bilateral differences. Positive correlation was observed between mental retardation of various etiology and morphological anomalies of the external ear.


We report the first demonstration of mid-IR coherent laser radar operation near 3.6 micrometers . In many low altitude environments, the wavelength region from 3.5 - 4 micrometers has advantages for laser beam propagation because the detrimental effects of scattering and turbulence are less severe than at shorter wavelengths. In addition, under conditions of high humidity, water vapor absorption in the mid-IR is also significantly lower compared to the long-IR region at 9-11 micrometers . The source in this work is a 100 mW, frequency stable cw-optical parametric oscillator (OPO) based on periodically poled lithium niobate. The frequency stability of the source is discussed and laboratory heterodyne experiments measuring small Doppler shifts from vibrating targets are described.


Nitrogen (N) recovery is of increasing interest across the world, as concern rises about eutrophication, nitrate leaching, nitrous oxide greenhouse gas emissions, and ammonia particulates. The inefficiencies of existing commercial fertilisers in supplying N nutrients to the crop and the absence of effective management strategies to control N losses from the soil have resulted in nitrogen entering surface and ground water streams, leading to environmental degradation of both water and soil. Thus, there is a need for a sustainable solution to address the inadequacies of current nutrient and water management systems. Among emerging technologies, resource management using biopolymers is a novel approach that offers new opportunities towards more circular strategies. Recently, starch has gained considerable attention in this area as an economic alternative to fossil-based feedstocks. In addition to being chemically modifiable, starch is abundant, renewable, and biodegradable. It can be processed into three-dimensional polymeric networks, known as hydrogels. Hydrogels are a novel class of functional biopolymers with a unique set of properties such as high swelling capacity and structural flexibility. Their dynamic response to external stimuli differentiates them from other polymeric materials, and their tailorability makes them excellent candidates for the design of functional devices, applicable in a variety of technological fields. Starch-based hydrogels have recently been identified as having the potential to be successfully employed in a range of unconventional applications such as removal of reactive ions from wastewater and enhancing the efficiency of N-fertilisers. However, the large-scale production of starch hydrogels is currently limited due to the high cost and complexity of their manufacturing methods. Additionally, there are undesirable by-products and toxic chemical residues that can potentially alter their biodegradability and affect the life-cycle assessment of the products.Therefore, this thesis focused on both the design and development of functional starch-based hydrogels as a sustainable solution for efficient water and nutrient management. In order to address the technical limitations of starch hydrogel production, we combined the benefits of continuous manufacturing with the use of green chemistry principles and developed a method based on reactive extrusion (REx) to produce functional starch hydrogels. The key to developing a routine process was maximising the efficiency of starch chemical modification (graft copolymerisation) using REx. Thus, the processing conditions and formulations were optimised based on swelling capacity, by benchmarking our results against base-line materials, which we prepared in solution using the conventional technique. We then employed the optimised REx method for graft copolymerisation of starch with acrylamide monomer, using five different types of non-food grade starches. The results demonstrated the viability of REx as a processing platform to produce starch-copolymers. As a logical next step, we optimised the swelling capacity in all starch-copolymers using an ionic comonomer, 2-acrylamido-2-methylpropane-sulfoacid. This led to a class of pH-responsive hydrogels that behaved similarly to polyelectrolyte gels, with a high uptake capacity for water and ammonium ions, comparable to those of the synthetic sorbents. Microstructural features of the starch substrate controlled the grafting efficiency but had limited influence on monomer conversion. This offered insight into the potential of REx as an effective alternative method for the production of high-performance N-sorbents based on starch hydrogels.Next, we adapted both the synthesis conditions and formulations to improve the swelling capacity and durability of starch hydrogels. We then examined these hydrogels' potential for use as soil conditioners via evaluation of three sample-specific parameters, viz. graft content, gel stiffness, and swelling capacity. Thus, a simple but effective REx procedure for chemical crosslinking of starch hydrogels was established. These optimised conditions led to the successful production of chemically crosslinked functional starch hydrogels with a robust structure and high swelling capacity in both deionised water and electrolyte solutions, comparable to those of commercial products. In model-scale, incorporation of cationic starch hydrogel (CTS-hydrogel), with 1.8 wt.% crosslinker content, significantly improved the field capacity of sand, demonstrating the potential for these hydrogels to be further developed into effective soil conditioners.Finally, we studied the aerobic biodegradation of starch, CTS-hydrogel, and a commercial polyacrylamide hydrogel under a controlled laboratory environment, by monitoring CO2 evolution in a soil environment, during a 6-month incubation period. The results demonstrated the accelerating effect of starch on the biodegradation rate of the CTS-hydrogel sample. With a moderate biodegradation rate and estimated half-life of ~1 year, CTS-hydrogel was found to be suitable for application as a soil conditioner.Overall, our results demonstrated the feasibility of reactive extrusion as a processing platform for continuous production of functional starch hydrogels as a full-circle sustainable materials solution for wastewater, agricultural and other industries.


A fitting-Quetschverbindungsstruktur comprises a connecting piece which is crimped to a copper alloy wire of a power cable having a copper alloy core wire section, which consists of a copper alloy wire member, and a cladding portion which covers the copper alloy core wire portion. The connecting piece has a Anquetschstuckabschnitt which is crimped to the Cu alloy core wire portion. In the case that a cross sectional area of the copper alloy core wire portion is 0.08 mm


Literature is human's creation that expresses their thoughts, feelings, and ideas through imaginative language that have limitation on written art only. One of written arts is novel. Novel is a literary work which is a long fiction story written in prose that shows character's sequence of incidents or events may be drawn from real life. Reading novel is very important for us, because it can obtain the deep knowledge and understanding about human being in the world. It also can entertain us and give us pleasure and enjoyment.
This study is intended to know the psychological conflict faced by Gillian Forrester and the ways Gillian Forrester overcomes this psychological conflict from the Danielle Steel's novel "Going Home"
This study was descriptive qualitative. The writer collected the data by investigating through the paragraphs, dialogues and analyzing the novel descriptively which is emphasized on the "Gillian Forrester's Psychological Conflict" as a research object. The object of this study was "Going Home" novel written by Danielle Steel.
The result of the research is based on the statement of problems. Gillian Forrester as the protagonist in this novel faces many psychological conflicts with herself, they are: Gillian as a single parent, with her conscience, with her old days, feeling of losing her closed friends. The
ways Gillian Forrester overcomes the psychological conflict are Gillian had two ways to solve the problems, such as; she had vacation in some places for relaxation and she tried to forget the problem.


Abstract. We measured 145 bottlenose dolphin skulls to examine the effects of size on skull shape. We found that the rostral length and the width of the temporal fossa showed highly positive allometry. These differences, as a result of size, reflect the growth of the feeding apparatus. The positive allometry of the rostral length implies an extension of the range for food catching and an increase in mouth-closing speed. The positive allometry of the temporal fossa width reflects the development of the temporal muscle. On the other hand, the positive allometry of both the rostral length and the temporal fossa width seem to indicate a contradictory effect on occlusal force. However, the occlusal force estimated by bony characters increased by the condylobasal length. These trends were observed not only in immature specimens but also in mature specimens of different sizes. This fact means that the change of the skull shape in immature specimens is caused by the development of the feeding apparatus, while that the variation in mature specimens of different sizes is due to a result of ontogenetic changes. Therefore, it is suggested that mature specimens also have morphological variation depending on size, and this fact sometimes confuses the taxonomic studies based on the morphological data.


This case report discusses a diagnosis of hypotony maculopathy associated with extrusion of a fluocinolone intravitreal implant in a patient who presented with painless, decreased vision in the right eye.


In operational stage of irrigation projects, water table depth is regularly monitored in irrigation areas, water table maps are prepared by using observed values and water table status is evaluated within Water Table Control Reports. In this study, spatial and temporal changes in water table depth in Kesiksuyu Irrigation Projects area is investigated by using Geographic Information System (GIS). Kesiksuyu Irrigation Project area is located in Lower Ceyhan Basin in southern part of Turkey.


Background Anal Pap tests have been advocated as a screening tool for anal precancerous lesions. We aimed to ascertain prevalence and correlates of UAPT among homosexual men. Methods: SPANC is a 3-year prospective study of homosexual men aged ≥35 years in Sydney. At baseline, data were collected and study procedures, including an anal swab for ThinPrep® cytology, were performed. Results: UAPT initially occurred in 40 (11.7%) of 342 participants (median age 49 years; 28.7% HIV positive) enrolled by the end of March 2013. There was no difference in UAPT by collecting clinician (P = 0.669) or reporting pathologist (P = 0.267). UAPT occurred more than twice as often among HIV-negative compared with -positive men (13.9% vs 6.1%, P = 0.048) and were less likely than satisfactory smears to contain transformation zone (TZ) cells (4.6% vs 35.4%, P < 0.001). Having a UAPT was associated with more anal Pap swab discomfort (P = 0.037) and feeling more tense during the exam (P = 0.008), but not with haemorrhoids or past anal surgery. On multivariate analysis, never douching (P < 0.001), soapy water douching (among those who douched; P = 0.003), fewer anal HPV types (P = 0.005) and feeling more tense during the exam (P = 0.039) remained independently associated with UAPT. All UAPT were repeated within a month and results were: 21 (52.5%) again unsatisfactory, 13 (32.5%) negative, 2 (5.0%) ASCUS/LSIL and 4 (10%) ASC-H/HSIL. Conclusions: UAPT are more common among men with less receptive anal sexual experience. Causes of UAPT may be a combination of sampling, behavioural and biological factors.


As the population ages globally, there will be an increased demand placed on the insurance sector to improve outcomes and quality of care for patients with neurodegenerative diseases. Established guidelines and standards of care exist and provide a framework for healthcare providers (HCP) to diagnose cognitive impairment (CI) and rule out other conditions that may mimic or exacerbate CI. Based on prior real world evidence, these guidelines are seldom adopted by HCPs and insurance claims processing teams.


Vortex pinning potential across a 5° tilt low angle grain boundary (GB) was evaluated by measuring angular dependences of critical current density in a bicrystal YBa2Cu3O7 film under the variable Lorentz force configuration. Trapping angles of the GB depend on directions in the GB plane (70°–80° and 15°–45° for the c-axis direction and the ab plane one, respectively), due to anisotropic pinning of GB dislocations. Pinning potential across a GB is as large as that of heavy ion irradiated columnar defects, indicating that density and distribution of GBs should be controlled to improve vortex pinning in coated conductors.


The present invention describes an efficient manner such that the maximum power output apparatus of the rotor in the fluid. HAWT using such a turbine rotor similar to (2), but is arranged in a vertical position, enclosed in a stationary diffuser, the diffuser has a shape of stationary inverted wing. A fixed structure (1) affected by the combination of two flows, thereby increasing the energy generated by the rotor (2). The rotor (2) with the mechanical energy conversion element is connected, it is integrated in the device structure having an inverted wing aerodynamic shape (1). The system has no means for orienting the direction of the wind, because it is completely omnidirectional, and only a movable member: a rotor having a blade (3) (2). The turbine may further comprise a pneumatic deflector edge (6) in the upper part of the structure (1) and having a plurality of divided elements (9) at least two pneumatic elements. The present invention can be used for energy production of small and large electrical generation system.


A requirement to robustly dissipate unwanted faser energy from Hundreds to thousands of joules per square centimeter within the confines of vacuum spatial filters for the National Ignition Facility led to the investigation of metal as the intercepting surface.


Space mission have involved humans to perform complex tasks requiring perception, decision making, and dexterity. Inherent dangers of space travel, complexity of space systems and paramount safety requirements have been driving up the cost of manned missions. Ground based control via teleoperation offers operator safety, employs remote sensors to provide information for human decision making, and uses remote robots to perform tasks. Communication links with low latency, and high bandwidth and availability are essential for teleoperation. Such links are expensive for Earth orbiting spacecraft and are not at all available for planetary systems. One solution is to increase autonomy of remote agents (servicer spacecraft, planetary rovers, and exploration probes) by providing them with abilities to make their own decisions using data from on-board sensors. Multi-dimensional data such as camera images and three-dimensional measurements from rangefinders offer the most complete representations of observed scenes. Vision systems can be used to process and analyse such data facilitating interpretation and autonomous decision making. Applications of vision systems for Earth orbit focus primarily on autonomous servicing. Vision guided rendezvous of an unmanned servicer spacecraft with a target satellite may start at a distance of several kilometers and conclude with docking under vision system control. Alternatively, the servicer may hoover in proximity of the target and capture the target with a robotic arm controlled in a visual servoing mode. Robotic servicing will rely on vision systems to model workspaces in 3D and to compare them with blueprints, as well as, to guide end-effectors and tools during operations. Planetary applications that require vision technologies may include landing systems that can guide a lander to a safe landing site and allow for precision landing. Surface exploration with rovers requires vision systems to provide data for local and long range navigation, localization and terrain mapping. Virtual presence and mission monitoring require an ability to create photorealistic and three dimensional models of visited sites. Challenges of computer vision for use on-orbit include the high contrast and high dynamic range of scenes caused by the intense sun illumination of foreground objects and the lack of diffuse lighting of background objects, and the complex shapes of space structures and their featureless and reflective surfaces. Highly unstructured and self-similar planetary surfaces pose challenges for vision systems for use in planetary exploration as these systems will have to not only detect local obstacles but also incrementally create terrain maps that can be used for vehicle localization and future terrain traversals. MDA Space Missions has been developing a range of space vision technologies, such as the Spaceborne Scanning Lidar that has been operating since April 2005 on the XSS-11 spacecraft, a vision system that will guide a robotic arm to capture a free floating satellite in the Orbital Express space demonstration, and vision systems for servicing of the Hubble Space Telescope. Several on-going research and development projects address development of vision systems for satellite servicing, localization and terrain mapping for planetary rovers, and environment modeling. Bio Dr Piotr Jasiobedzki leads research and development in vision system for space and terrestrial applications at MDA Space Missions (formerly Spar Space Systems and MD Robotics) in Brampton ON. Before joining MDA in 1995, he worked at the University of Toronto (Canada) and University of Manchester (UK). His research interests include stereo and 3D vision, sensor fusion, biomedical image interpretation, and robot control and navigation. Dr Jasiobedzki has two patents and has published over 40 papers in technical journals and conference proceedings. IEEE IROS 2005 Workshop on Robot Vision for Space Applications


Abstract We have developed an efficient method, Smooth Piecewise Algebraic Approximation (hereafter SPAA), to automatically compute a smooth approximation of large-scale functional scattered 2D observation points and tilt between them. The area of study is divided into patches and piecewise algebraic surfaces are fitted to the data. When the surfaces are approximated, a set of constraints is imposed in such a way that the resulting function is continuous only in the zero and first derivatives everywhere in the region, which results in a very short computation time. In other word, the surfaces are fitted simultaneously, using the constraints as set-conditions which the parameters of the surfaces must also satisfy. This method does not require a triangulation or quadrangulation of the data points and as such, it is very well suited for extremely large datasets. This method has been successfully applied to the monthly mean sea level and re-levelling data in Canada to thereby compile a map of Vertical Crustal Movements (VCM) in the region. The VCM model obtained using this method accommodates different kinds of scattered geodetic data, while yielding the optimum approximation to them. Enforcing the continuity and smoothness throughout the surfaces, the VCM model of Canada highlights the long wavelength temporal variations of the crust in the region, mainly due to Post Glacial Rebound (PGR). As a result, using the method of SPAA, a more physically meaningful VCM is modelled.


dence of belonging. Van der Kwaak explains the cultural context in which pasta and other foods function as a sign of respect for visitors in Somalia. All the researchers share gratitude for Geschiere's mentorship, rigor, and support; all the studies demonstrate the imprint of his ideas and concepts. Nonetheless the studies themselves are uneven, with some much more substantive than others. As a set they are effective in suggesting the broad scope and broader implications of Geschiere's contributions, but it is that breadth itself that deprives the book of a clear focus. A more substantive job of editing might have expanded some areas and perhaps redirected others to produce a more uniformly compelling set of essays.


We analyzed the impact of drainage connectivity on the health of Yangtze River and reviewed the concepts of river health and Healthy Yangtze River.According to 3 standards of Healthy Yangtze River,we studied the main impacts of drainage connectivity on health of Yangtze River in the aspects of water quality,wetland eco-environment,aquatic resources,flood control,and water resources utilization.The results show that improving drainage connection could increase flowing of current and reinforce disturbance of water body;therefore,the capacity of reoxygenation and self-purification of water body can be enhanced and the dilution of polluted water body can be accelerated accordingly,which is beneficial for the water quality improvement and pollution control.Meanwhile,the goals of improving wetland eco-environment,maintaining biodiversity,assuring flood control security and sustainable utilization of water resources can be achieved by maintaining drainage connection as well.


Background: The role of Snf1 in Adr1-dependent transcription is incompletely understood. Results: Adr1 and RNA pol II remain at the promoter but are inactive, and mRNA decay is accelerated when Snf1as is inhibited after glucose depletion. Conclusion: Snf1 is important for Adr1 binding, RNA pol II activity, and mRNA stability. Significance: Snf1 has an unanticipated role in promoting mRNA stability. AMP-activated protein kinase, the "energy sensor of the cell," responds to low cellular energy stores by regulating enzymes and transcription factors that allow the cell to adapt to limiting nutritional conditions. Snf1, the yeast ortholog of AMP-activated protein kinase, has an essential role in respiratory metabolism in Saccharomyces cerevisiae that includes activating the transcription factor Adr1. How Snf1 regulates Adr1 activity is poorly understood. We used an analog-sensitive allele, SNF1as(I132G), that is inhibited by 2-naphthylmethyl pyrazolopyrimidine 1 to study the role of Snf1 in transcriptional regulation of glucose-repressible genes. When Snf1as was inhibited at the time of glucose depletion, there was a promoter-specific response with some Snf1-dependent genes being activated by low levels of inhibitor, whereas all Snf1-dependent genes were inhibited at high levels. Transcript accumulation was more sensitive to Snf1as inhibition than Adr1 or RNA polymerase (pol) II binding or acetylation of promoter nucleosomes. When Snf1as was inhibited after gene activation, Adr1 and RNA pol II remained at promoters, and RNA pol II remained in the ORF with associated nascent transcripts. However, cytoplasmic mRNAs were lost at a rapid rate compared with their decay following chemical or genetic inactivation of RNA pol II. In conclusion, Snf1 appears to affect multiple steps in gene regulation, including transcription factor binding, RNA polymerase II activity, and cytoplasmic mRNA stability.


Document images undergo various degradation processes. Numerous models of these degradation processes have been proposed in the literature. In this paper we propose a model-based restoration algorithm. The restoration algorithm first estimates the parameters of a degradation model and then uses the estimated parameters to construct a lookup table for restoring the degraded image. The estimated degradation model is used to estimate the probability of an ideal binary pattern, given the noisy observed pattern. This probability is estimated by degrading noise-free document images and then computing the frequency of corresponding noise-free and noisy pattern pairs. This conditional probability is then used to construct a lookup table to restore noisy images. The impact of the restoration process is then quantified by computing the decrease in OCR word and character error rate. We find that given the estimated degradation model parameter values, the restoration algorithm decreases the character error rate by 16.1% and the word error rate by 7.35%. In some categories of degradation (e.g. model parameters that give rise to broken characters) there is a 41.5% reduction in character error rate and 20.4% reduction in word error rate.


In this paper, we propose a location-release signa- ture scheme based on bilinear pairings for vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs). Location-release signature is a capsule signature signed by a source location server that becomes valid after the signature arrives at a specific destination location, where a location server publishes some trapdoor information associated with such a destination location. The scheme can efficiently and effectively resolve the fairness problem in Store-Carry- Forward (S-C-F) communication, which is a very important issue in VANETs. With the provable security techniques, we also demonstrate the proposed scheme is provably secure in the random oracle model.


In laboratory experiments we demonstrate that protoplasmic tubes of acellular slime mould Physarum polycephalum show current versus voltage profiles consistent with memristive systems. This result complements previous findings on memristive properties of other living systems (human skin and blood and leaves) and contributes to development of self-growing bio- electronic circuits. Keywords: memristor, slime mould, bioelectronics


Objective To observe the efficacy and safety of Zhengbiguanjie tablet combined with Methotrexate(MTX) in active rheumatoid arthritis(RA).Methods Forty-eight active rheumatoid arthritis patients were randomized into 2 groups with a ratio of 2∶ 1;32 patients in the treatment group were treated with Zhengbiguanjie tablet plus MTX,while 16 patients in the control group were administered with simulant of Zhengbiguanjie tablet plus MTX;the therapeutic course for both groups was 12 weeks.The efficacy,clinical symptoms,sighs and changes in biochemical examination results of the respective groups were observed for comparison.Results Compared to the control group,the clinical symptoms and signs were relieved earlier in the treatment group with biochemical examination results showing positive response to treatment.The total effective rate was 82.1%,89.3%,92.9% in the treatment group,and 53.8%,61.5%,84.6% in the control group at 4,8 and 12 weeks after treatment respectively.Comparing the therapeutic effect between the two groups showed significant difference(P0.05).Conclusion Zhengbiguanjie tablet plus MTX treatment is characterized by quick initiating,with stable clinical efficacy and few side effects.It is better than MTX treatment alone.


A database is presented that allows the investigation of machine learning (ML) tools and techniques in the signal integrity (SI), power integrity (PI), and electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) domains. The database contains different types of printed circuit board (PCB)-based interconnects and corresponding frequency domain data from a physics-based (PB) tool and represent multiple electromagnetic (EM) aspects to SI and PI optimization. The interconnects have been used in the past by the authors to investigate ML techniques in SI and PI. However, many more tools and techniques can be developed and applied to these structures. The setup of the database, its data sets, and examples on how to apply ML techniques to the data will be discussed in detail. Overall 78961 variations of interconnects are presented. By making this database available we invite other researchers to apply and customize their ML techniques using our results. This provides the possibility to accelerate ML research in EMC engineering without the need to generate expensive data.


Opportunities for general practitioners to practice surgery have almost vanished under the N.H.S. to the disadvantage of both patients and doctors. It may therefore be worth while recording some observations on appendicitis as seen in general practice in a way that the specialist surgeon virtually never sees it. This is largely because of undue reliance on radiography and other physical investigations which overlook the fact that a person's own sensations are much more sensitive than any except the most specialized tests. A general practitioner who has to rely on his careful assessment of the patient's symptoms and history should be able to make a much more accurate diagnosis, in the majority of cases, than the one who relies on less exacting examinations. A personal example will make this clear. About twelve years ago I asked an old friend, a senior surgeon of great experience, to come and operate for me on a woman of 78 who had, I thought-, a Richter's hernia of the obturator foramen. He much doubted my diagnosis, and when he found exactly what I had diagnosed he said that he would not have believed it possible to make such a diagnosis if he had not seen it. But to a general practitioner it was not only possible, but it must have been pretty simple or I should not have done it. Watching the patient for over 24 hours and ruminating over her symptoms really left no other diagnosis possible, nor would the signs have been detectable to a stranger with whom she would not relax or permit an examination in the way she would for one whom she had known half her life. A general practitioner, as it were, sees the whole drama through; the expert is rather like the one who has to judge the story by looking at the stills outside a cinema. Careful continuous observation can more than make good lack of expertness. These considerations are very important in this particular study, for a general practitioner is in a much better position to judge the


Patients with dermatomyositis positive for anti‐aminoacyl tRNA synthetase (ARS) antibodies, also known as antisynthetase syndrome (ASS), frequently present with mechanic's hand and interstitial lung disease (ILD). We first screened the antibody profiles of 59 patients with dermatomyositis, and then examined the cutaneous, muscular and pulmonary manifestations characteristic for patients with ASS. The anti‐ARS antibodies Jo‐1, PL‐7, PL‐12, EJ and KS, along with antibodies to TIF1‐γ, MDA5 and Mi‐2, were examined. Among the 59 patients, 20, 21, 15 and three patients were classified into the ASS, non‐ASS, myositis‐specific antibody‐negative and unknown groups, respectively. Five of 16 patients (31%) with ASS had six relatives with a history of collagen diseases, within the second degree of relationship, including two cases of dermatomyositis (vs the non‐ASS group, P = 0.018). Patients with ASS more frequently presented with fever and arthralgia, and had elevated levels of C‐reactive protein. Nine of the 11 finger lesions (82%) clinically diagnosed as mechanic's hands showed a psoriasiform tissue reaction. ILD was observed in 19 of 20 patients (95%) with ASS, and eight of 21 patients (38%) in the non‐ASS group, in which six patients possessed anti‐MDA5 antibody. Patients with ASS showed higher serum levels of muscle enzymes, and four of 12 patients (33%) had fasciitis‐dominant myopathy, while only one of 11 patients (9%) in the non‐ASS group had fasciitis‐dominant myopathy. Patients with ASS often present with a psoriasiform tissue reaction in the hand lesions and fasciitis‐dominant myopathy, and the relatives of those with ASS are at high risk for collagen diseases.